Diane Louise Johnstone

On the morning of October 5, 2024, at the age of 63, Diane Johnstone of Winnipeg passed away peacefully after a 15 month battle with brain cancer.

Diane was born on September 14, 1961 in Niagara Falls, Ontario and spent her childhood years living in St. Catherines. Some of her favorite memories from this time involved Patches, the cat next door who would come to the flower box outside her bedroom window and meow to be let in. Perhaps this was the start of Diane’s enduring affection for cats, birds and all wildlife.

In 1973, just before her 12th birthday, Diane’s family moved to Winnipeg where she attended Acadia Junior High and Fort Richmond Collegiate where she developed many life-long friendships. Diane continued her education at the University of Manitoba and received a Bachelor of Arts in 1984 majoring in Sociology and Psychology, but her real passions in life were for dance and film.

Her love of dance led her to study ballet, modern dance, and gymnastics. Diane attended the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Canadian National Ballet schools and worked for 14 years as a gymnastics instructor and coach for the City of Winnipeg Parks and Recreation, the City of St. Catherine's Parks and Recreation, Crescentwood Community Club, and Panthers Gymnastics Club. At a gymnastics fundraising bingo in 1991, Diane met Michael Dyck, whom she married in 1993.

In 1994 Diane and Michael moved to Saudi Arabia where she instructed gymnastics and ballet for children of the expat community. Having a love of cats, Diane also volunteered for an organization feeding and trapping feral cats to be immunized, spayed and neutered. In 2000 Diane and Michael moved to Germany where she worked for the video club of ESOC. Diane loved to travel and while living in Germany she did as much travel around Western Europe as she could. She learned to speak German and developed many new interests including alpine skiing, go-kart racing, and wine tasting.

After returning to Winnipeg in 2005, Diane, who had always loved to sew, began to study apparel design. She completed an apparel design program at Red River Community College and started her own business designing and sewing commissioned custom clothing. She retired her business when COVID broke out in 2020 and spent much of her final years studying the genealogy of her Scottish ancestry.

Beloved wife of Michael Dyck of Winnipeg, and sister of Glenn Johnstone of Niagara Falls. Predeceased by her parents Alan Robert Johnstone (2019) and Lois Irene (née Hoff) Johnstone (2022).

Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday, October 11, 2024 at Thomson “In the Park” Funeral Home, 1291 McGillivray Blvd. with burial to immediately follow.

If friends so desire, donations may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation or David Suzuki Foundation.